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Devon Conway of New Zealand celebrates after scoring fifty on the second day of the 1st Test cricket match between Pakistan and New Zealand on Tuesday, December 27, 2022 in Karachi, Pakistan. Photo Credit: AP
New Zealand openers Devon Conway and Tom Latham helped Pakistan bowlers post a solid 165 without loss on the second day of the first Test in Karachi on Tuesday.
Conway became the fastest New Zealand batsman to reach 1,000 runs in his 11th Test when he reached the close on 82 and was supported by Latham, who was unbeaten on 78.
The tourists are now 273 runs behind Pakistan’s first innings score of 438, which was made even more spectacular by middle-order batsman Agha Salman’s brilliant maiden century.
“I feel proud because it’s great to score a century for my country,” the 29-year-old said. I can’t describe that feeling in words and happy that I took responsibility after our captain fell early.
Salman led the innings after captain Babar Azam fell without adding to his score of 161 in the first over of the day.
Azam hit 16 fours and a six in his innings of 365 minutes.
South African-born left-hander Conway, who had moved to New Zealand to boost his career, was lucky to escape caught behind when he was dismissed for 57 off spinner Nouman Ali.
Pakistan did not challenge home umpire Aleem Dar’s decision of not out but television replays showed that the batsman had edged the ball.
Prior to Conway, John Reid had completed 1,000 career runs in 1985 in 12 Tests.
Conway has so far hit 12 fours while Latham has hit eight sixes.
Fast bowler Tim Southee edged Azam’s bat to wicket-keeper Tom Blundell to give New Zealand the kickstart.
Salman said the spin-friendly National Stadium pitch was ready to change behaviour.
“The pitch is playing well but it will take more spin as the game progresses and it will be difficult to bat on the fifth day,” Salman said.
New Zealand spinner Ish Sodhi was hopeful that this could be used to the advantage of the Kiwis.
“After watching Pakistan’s ten overs, I thought it would spin more,” Sodhi said. “Definitely there are footprints on the pitch and hopefully we can use that, but first we have to work with the bat.”
Pakistan also lost the wickets of Nauman (seven) and Mohammad Wasim (two) in the first session, scoring just 60 runs.
Salman added 54 runs for the seventh wicket before New Zealand took two wickets in three runs.
Pacer Neil Wagner had Nauman caught on a short pitch before Wasim was caught by Sodhi.
Salman then cuts loose, hitting Sodhi for two consecutive fours to complete the three figures. His previous best was 62 against Sri Lanka in Galle in July.
Southee, who finished with 3-69, eventually ended the innings by dismissing Salman lbw to complete 350 wickets in his 89th Test.
He is only the third New Zealand bowler after Richard Hadlee (431 in 86 Tests) and Daniel Vettori (362 in 113) to take 350 or more wickets in Tests.
Salman hit 17 fours in his innings of 155 balls.
Ejaz Patel, Michael Bracewell and Sodhi took two wickets each.
The two-match Test series in Pakistan is New Zealand’s first since 2002.
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